Typically a stringed instrument consists of a neck section and a main body assembly. The strings are supported at one extreme end of the neck section by a head member attached to the neck assembly and at the other extreme end by a tailpiece attached to the main body. Thus the neck section and main body are structurally interdependent in supporting the strings. While musically this arrangement is acceptable, there is the limitation that a body selection once made is permanent insofar as a particular instrument concerned. With purely acoustical guitars this does not seem to be much of a detriment. However, with the evolution of electric guitars has occurred a demand for a wide range of body configurations has arisen there vary from structure having large cavities to those having small cavities, as well as to various sizes and shapes of guitar bodies. Thus a musician who a requires an instrument having different body configurations must purchase a plurality of different complete guitars.
A number of related arrangements have been provided in the conventional art to address this drawback. The first is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,462 to Robinson, describing a stringed musical instrument such as a guitar wherein the neck assembly is extended to include the bridge and tailpiece. The body of the instrument and neck assembly are detachable from each other. The end region of the neck assembly supports the tailpieces made in the form of a U. A cut out region at the rear of the body is adapted to receive and form a tongue and grove structural joint between the neck assembly and a body of the instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,683 to Nulman discloses an electric stringed musical instrument formed of a body section adapted to detachably receive an interchangeable neck section. The body section mounts the electronic tone and volume controls and includes the electromagnetic pick up which is arranged in operative proximity to the next strings when the instrument is fully assembled arrangement. The body section is adapted to interchangeably receive neck sections of various string types and finger board widths. To accommodate this, the electromagnetic pick up is selectively moveable in the longitudinal and latitudinal directions to accommodate the particular string characteristics of an interchangeable neck section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,403 to Harris discloses an attachment device for adjustably mounting the neck section to the main body of a stringed musical instrument, such as a banjo. The device has a pair of plates for attachment respectively to the neck and body of the banjo. A pivot point locates one plate with respect to the other, and a pair of adjustment screws interconnect the plates, cooperatively controlling the angle at which the neck extends away from the body. Elongated holes in one of the adapter plates receive the adjustment screws, permitting the neck to be rotated with respect to the body about the longitudinal axis of the neck. The device may include a brace bar extending across the body of the instrument to hold a tailpiece. A set screw posses tension in the adjustment screws to hold the plate in the desired relative positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,910 to Soupios discloses an external support system that connects an electronic guitar module such to a standard electrical guitar body or base by detachably anchoring a linear holding device to the body of the instrument. The holding device causes no alteration of the standard instrument, attaching to a posterior strap fastening anchor. An interior horn-shaped curvature provides a slidable locking mechanism which fastens the external module to the electronic guitar body.
German Patent No. 2831666 to Lohberg discloses an electric guitar arranged in modular form to allow a range of string bridges to be fitted to the main body of the guitar, which has a slot that provides a location for the string bridge. The bridge carries two sound pick ups. The tone and volume controls are mounted on the main body of the guitar. When the bridge is inserted into the locating slot, it is secured by a clamping bolt on the underside of the guitar body.
U.K. Patent No. GB2045993A to Townshend discloses an electric guitar with a body portion and a neck portion which may be readily engaged and disengaged from the body portion. The neck portion is a metal casting with a wooden fretboard that carries strings, a head with tuning devices, a bridge with a tremolo device and electromagnetic pick ups. The advantage of this arrangement is that the strings may be pre-tuned before the neck is inserted into the body. The body portion carries all the usual pick up controls and consists of a metal core with a plastic cover. The space between the core and the cover is filled with polyurethane foam. The body also has connectors which are arranged to connect the pick ups to the controls when the neck is engaged the body portion. The neck is held to the body portion with a releaseable locking device.
None of the conventional art discloses a system in which a removable guitar neck section with electronic pick up can be played separately from the guitar body in order to carry out tuning, or private practice. Further, none of the examples of conventional art disclose a system which allows an electric guitar to be moved in a manner totally independently of the position of the guitar sound system amplifiers and loud speakers.